FORMER world Thai boxing champion Rich Cadden today welcomed the return of York’s major sports awards.

The Chokdee Academy owner won the Sports Personality of the Year accolade in the 2007 York Sports Awards, backed by Active York and The Press.

Now Active York – the city’s sport and active leisure partnership working to encourage people to be more active more often – are reviving the city’s awards in partnership with The Press.

The Active York Sports Awards dinner will be held at the University of York on Wednesday, April 9, and Cadden is delighted the city’s sporting talent will be recognised and celebrated.

“It is great that sport in the city is being recognised in this way,” he said. “We have got some superb sporting facilities in York and it is great to see people pushing to get to the next level and embracing fitness.

“Winning the Sports Personality of the Year award was great recognition for reaching the top of my game and becoming world Thai boxing champion.”

The award categories will include Young Male Sportsperson, Young Female Sportsperson, Young Disabled Sportsperson, Team/Club Award, Student Sportsperson of the Year, Sportsman, Sportswoman, Disabled Sportsperson, Young Sportsperson of the Year, Sportsperson of the Year, Coach/Volunteer Award, Active School Award and Active Workplace.

The awards, which will feature chairman of the Football Association and Chancellor of University of York Greg Dyke as guest speaker, are designed to recognise the achievements and contributions of the city’s sporting community.

Nominations are now open and further details of the award criteria, as well as details on how to nominate, can be found by visiting www.activeyork.org or by emailing sportandactiveleisure@york.gov.uk to request a nomination form.

Nominations close at noon February 27, 2014.

Awards will be judged by members of the Active York board, which includes sporting partners from across the city. The leading nominees in each category will be invited to attend the Active York Sports Awards dinner.

The dinner in the Roger Kirk Centre is open to the general public and tickets are priced at £40 per person, or £300 for a table of eight, which includes a pre-dinner drinks reception, a three-course meal, entry to the awards ceremony and an opportunity to hear FA chairman Dyke speak.

To book tickets, visit activeyork.wordpress.com, email sportandactiveleisure@york.gov.uk or phone 01904 553377.


What is Active York?

ACTIVE York is the city’s sport and active leisure partnership and is working to encourage people to be more active more often. The Active York board is made up of members representing City of York Council, higher and further education, the city’s professional clubs, community sports clubs and the voluntary sector.

Active York aims to help the people of York be more aware of the health benefits of physical activity and to ensure coaching and development opportunities exist for people in the city to improve their performance and to enable them to compete at the highest level.


Fund for the gifted

As part of Active York’s commitment to supporting the city’s talented athletes, its recognising achievement group is continuing to provide financial grants through its Fund For The Gifted scheme.

The most recent recipients of the grant scheme will be recognised at the Active York Sports Awards dinner.

Fund For The Gifted grants are available to any young people who live, attend a school or train in York.

Grants are available in the following areas: travel to regional, national or international training camps, training events or competitions; specialist coaching; sports injury and rehabilitation; sports science support, equipment and sports clothing.

The fund aims to assist young talented athletes to achieve their full potential in sport through the provision of financial support.

The Fund For The Gifted is open to all athletes under the age of 19 who are competing at district level or above and can clearly demonstrate how a grant would help to enhance their performance potential. All applications are supported by a written declaration from a coach, school or national governing body representative.

The applications state the athlete’s current level of performance, the performance potential and how a grant would support the athlete’s development.